Survey shows iPhone loyalty still beating out Android

A recent survey produced some fairly promising results for iPhone's future in the U.S. About half of respondents said they were using an Android phone, and only about 30% iPhone. The same amount (42%) said they would go with either Android and iOS for their next smartphone. Though that sounds a little dour, what's really interesting are the retention rates.

Only 6% of iOS users were intending to switch to Android, with 91% intending to buy another iPhone. Meanwhile 24% of Android users planned to defect, 18% to iPhone. These results have led the researchers to project that there will be more iPhone owners in the U.S. than Android by 2015. The study, conducted by Yankee Group, spanned 16,000 Americans over the last 12 months, so you can expect that these results are fairly representative, if not their projections.

There have been plenty of studies in the past which cement Apple loyalty, and it's good to see that the trend is keeping up. Let's be fair - the HTC One looks pretty sweet, and should appeal to many of the physical design sensibilities ingrained in iPhone users, but how many of you are seriously considering a switch for your next phone? What is it about the iPhone that keeps you coming back model after model?

Reader comments

Survey shows iPhone loyalty still beating out Android

I have a MacBook Pro, a Mac Mini, an iPhone 5, and an iPad 2. I'm pretty deep in the ecosystem so it makes sense for me to stick with the iPhone (I started with the 3G). That HTC One does look awful sweet though.

Swap the Mac Mini for an iPad Mini & I'm in the same boat as u......that being said, 100% agree on the HTC One. I grabbed the latest Nexus from the Google Play store bc the price was too good to pass up (sidenote: IMHO Android has changed, for the better, since I had an OG Nexus 1....the interapp communication makes me jealous) BUT the HTC One is the first Android device since my OG Nexus that I actually WANT. HTC really stepped it up with the design & overall polish on it, definitely the only phone that is on par with the iPhone 5 in those categories IMO. I'm not gonna be switching over anytime soon, but if I was.....the Galaxy S4 wouldn't even cross my mind with the One being available.

Question for you.......just curious how much longer do you think you're gonna keep rocking the iPad 2?? Mine definitely gets less use since I picked up the Mini, but starting to get the itch for a nice big Retina screen. Gonna wait to see what Apple has up its sleeve before I decide if I go with the newest one or pick up the Retina iPad (4).

The whole notion of brand loyalty is pathetic. I bought Nokias because they were good phones, not because I was loyal to Nokia, the second that changed I was gone. Now I buy Apple because it has the best ecosystem, not because I'm loyal to Apple. Loyalty to companies often works against us and our pockets.

I dunno, I think familiarity breeds a comfort which can very easily lead to purchasing decisions. Everybody comes to the table with some kind of history - how can you expect it to not factor into their decisions?

"familiarity" and "comfort" are not the same as "loyal." The word "loyalty" implies an ability or intent to stick with someone, or something, even in the face of discomfort and unfamiliarity.

In the context of competing technologies, the term "loyalty" is a very odd choice. It's both divisive and disconcerting to imagine anyone having that much of a connection to one particular brand of electronic device -- and to know that said connection exists regardless of its shortcomings or potentially superior competing products.

I moved from the Pre 2 to the GS3. Was a much better move than attempting to move to an iPhone. That being said, the next time I decide to upgrade I will assess what's there and choose what fits best. Maybe there will be a webOS phone by then. But given how much closer Android has come to webOS compared to where iOS is sitting, I can't see the iPhone being in the running unless Apple does a HUGE overhaul of iOS.

I was tossed up when my frankinpre2 died my brothers are droids but after seeing a JB iphone 5 in action it had a little webOS flavor to it so I jumped now I'm stuck on 6.1.3 with no JB but its not really that bad

I however went from the Pre to the iPhone, because, even though I loved WebOS doctoring, iOS has a polish, finish and design that I also liked on WebOS. I too would keep my eye open for a new WebOS phone, but until think iOS is a much better fit for me that Android, especially something that runs touchWiz. I also went a bought a Mac because I needed a mainstream computer OS as Linux wasn´t working for me in what I do. Love the OS, and well I am now falling in the ecosystem quite nicely.

I left iOS for Android with the Nexus One because I needed an unlocked GSM phone and neither ATT nor Apple in the US would allow the purchase of an unlocked phone. Now it would be tough to go back after making the investment in apps and learning the platform. Sometimes it isn't the hardware or OS that matters, but the marketing decisions of the manufacturer and the carriers.

That is strange. I live in Canada and bought my iPhone 4 from Apple's website back in 2010 and it was unlocked. Obviously, if you pay the "subsidized price", the phone would probably be locked, while paying the actual full price for the phone will get you an unlocked phone.

I am going to switch. I paid for USD 1000 for my iP5 but have not been offered Siri in my native language or Passbook support for my region. Moreover, iP5 supports only one local 4G band giving me poor covergae on a dual-band 4G network (competing products support all European 4G bands.)

What is more, Apple post-sale service is horrible: Should my phone need servicing under the warranty (like the fidgety power-button I have), I would have to send it away for 2 to 3 weeks (!!) (not going to do that, I just put up with the poor build quality); plus the warranty is only 1 year, the shortest in the industry and the minimum required by the law -- despite the phone's being the most expensive on the market.

Apple is a US-only-orineted business, has always been, will always be. Since they treat me as a second-grade customer for my not being a Yankee -- as someone who subsidizes they low US prices by paying 50% to 100% more -- I am definitely not going to purchase an iPhone again. It seems that many European are starting to feel the same way, given the growing criticism in local media towards Apple and the diminishing iPhone market share. People are starting to find out that Apple is seriously screwing them up -- as customers of a premium-priced product. That just won't do.

Hmm. Something tells me you're not an iOS product user at all. I've lived in several countries and purchased iOS devices in all of them while living there and not once did I have an "issue" with service when related to hardware problems. I'm extremely picky to the point of returning a "well used" iPhone still under warranty for a single dead pixel. It was swapped IMMEDIATELY for a new phone. Same goes for other devices. Either you're just a typical uninformed sour individual with a nonsensical gripe against apple, or where you live sucks and you should probably move to somewhere that doesn't. Like really.

My issue is that with my next phone upgrade, I need to bridget the gap between a tablet and phone for work and not carry both. So if Apple just incrementally upgrades the iPhone 5 and the screen doesn't at least approach 5", I'm looking at a Note 3 possibly, because I need the bigger screen and the S-Pen is sweet. For me, it's not about loyalty to any company. It's about the technology that works for me. The iPhone 4S has been good for almost two years but I absolutely must have a screen bigger than 4".

i have been using iphone since the 4s, but i have used other devices before android, windows, etc., but i find apple works the best for myself as well! so i am neck deep in the apple ecosystem with having an iPhone 5, 2 of them one work one personal, apple tv , ipad mini, and a macbook pro 13inch! it all works fantastic for me and it looks like i will never be leaving them in the near future either! LONG LIVE APPLE!

I'm in it for the long haul with Apple! I started with the iPhone 3GS and since then I've had the 4, and now I have the 5, and I have an iPad 2. I'm picking up the mini 2 this fall! I'm so comfortable with the platform and I'm considered the Apple "Genius" bc I know everything. I've had an android before (HTC Aria), but the iPhone and apple products suits my needs better

"I'm so comfortable with the platform and I'm considered the Apple "Genius" bc I know everything." I wish I thought you were kidding or being sarcastic, but sadly I think that was said in all seriousness......smh

Add me to the list of Android defectors. After years and years of touting the benefits of Google's phone OS, (I still write for an Android website) I switched to an iPhone 5 because my Galaxy S 3 wasn't holding a good LTE signal at home, and the hotspot function suffered as a result. My 5 works awesome no matter where I am, I just wish the battery was stronger.

I also got used to the smaller screen quickly and like that I can use the phone one handed.

The ecosystem is why I will stick with Apple. How can you beat the ease of playing music from your iPhone to speakers connected to an Airport Express? Since they've introduced syncing through Wi-Fi, there is no need to connect the phone to a computer anymore either.

Then there's screen mirroring from iPad Mini to Apple TV, (not perfect since the iPad is 4:3, and TV is 16:9, but the letter-boxing is tolerable). Sadly, I can't mirror my 2008 aluminum MacBook or 2009 Mac Mini to the Apple TV, so my next purchase will probably be a MacBook Air, (but my current machines still work great, so there really is no need).

Kinda envious of those people just entering the Apple ecosystem now, because Apple introduced so much convenience in their devices with regards to wireless syncing, mirroring to Apple TV, Siri and voice dictation. I definitely won't go back to Windows. I wouldn't know how to duplicate the ease of doing the things I can do now.

My bias towards Apple isn't unfounded either. I also have a Samsung Galaxy S3, (found it by a sidewalk, only thing wrong was a majorly cracked screen; microSIM was missing, so obviously an abandoned phone). The big screen is quite enviable, but the ergonomics are dreadful. I don't know how people can actually enjoy using it. Clicking the home button is awkward, (am I suppose to use my thumb? Cause it doesn't contort that way when I'm holding the phone with the same hand, and actually pressing the button puts the device off-balance).

Split screen is nice, but honestly, I was never a fan of multitasking. What's wrong with doing one thing at a time? (And even then, I can't see the message I'm replying to when typing a response, how stupid is that? On my small 3.5" iPhone screen in landscape, I can see the message thread, the response I'm typing, and the keyboard, but I can't on the larger S3 screen.)

Overall, I have a more pleasant time with my iPhone 4 than the S3. Even though the iPhone 4 is older, the screen is more responsive and smoother, and I don't get hand cramps.